For those of you completely new to the board, Misc is the place for all those topics that don't neatly fit into the other forums. As you can see reading down the list, we often have quirky, funny, moving and downright random threads co-existing. It's a good place - enjoy it!

Second, I would particularly advert you to a few FAQs:

1) What happened to TNZ?

TNZ (The Neutral Zone) - a forum for heated debate, with a looser set of rules than the rest of the board - is now a hidden forum.

To see it and join in the debates, you can request access in your User CP. Click User CP then Group Memberships. Or click here to go there directly.

Conversely if you wish to remove your access from TNZ you can do so on that page.

TNZ is a useful forum for subjects that may raise strong passions and equally strong opinions, such as politics and religion.

2) My hello thread got locked/moved! Why did you do that?

We get a lot of new members joining us in any given day, so a separate welcome thread for each of you in Misc would rapidly overwhelm the forum. Instead, we now have a pinned Welcome New Members thread at the top of Misc!

That's the thread to say Hi and for all of us barflys to say welcome. It's not for incessant chat between regulars though. So don't spam it up. Keep it welcoming for the newbies!

There's also an exclusive Red Shirt Lounge in the Ten Forward section of the board for new guys and gals to chat with each other without the old folk watching over your shoulder, if you want to!

3) I want to link to a really funny YouTube video - is that OK?

Of course. But there are so many videos floating around the internet, some on YouTube, some on other sites, that we can't really have Misc overwhelmed by lots of threads on each individual video. So we have a Video Thread instead. Currently it's pinned to the top of the forum. It's the right thread for any short video clip, esp. the funny ones.

One thing more on this issue - rarely, if the video has a separate, truly legitimate discussion point beyond "check out this funny clip!", we let the topic run as an individual thread of its own, at least for a while. Use basic common sense on this point, please! Moderating staff can and will make a judgement call as to whether videos merit a thread of their own, so don't be surprised if your video thread is locked. Rule of thumb? Use the aggregated Video Thread!

OK, enough FAQs...

Just get stuck in with posting and you'll soon find out we're a pretty friendly and laidback bunch.

I know this is long. You need to read it anyhow. If not, don't blame me when I warn you, OK? I will post it in separate sections in this thread.

Issue #1. Inappropriate Content:

I have had multiple complaints lately from women on our BBS about the tone in this (and sometimes other) forums. Some women feel unwelcome and uncomfortable on parts of the board, due to a very nasty tendency of some men (note the "some") to express themselves in a way that makes women uncomfortable.

Hell, I'm thick-skinned, due to growing up with a rather vulgar brother, but after reading some of what I read, while I'm not uncomfortable, I'm angry.

Here are some examples from a nasty little thread. Bear in mind that over time, I've seen equally ugly little comments in other threads, about men wanting to "do" women and such. But so you can see what I find problematic, here is a sampling of some sexist crap:

(Warning, this is some unpleasant stuff. Be prepared before you read.)

Nobody's scared of the racist little bitch.

Click to expand...

watch me as I rape your face.

Click to expand...

Responding to that:

Photo captions for pic of Palin: and

Any tighter and we'd be in camel toe territory. that body is wasted on her.

Click to expand...

"must not fap"

Click to expand...

This was all FROM ONE THREAD.

I don't want to EVER see this kind of crap in Misc again. It is DRIVING off women, making the female mods uncomfortable (and me angry, since I always have to be different :/ ) and making those who are saying this look like they're sexist with no respect for women.

Is that what you want to show?

Now if you do this in the Wild-West TNZ, that's one thing. People know what they're in for there and can opt out.

The Sarah Palin thread is a perfect example of why I did not want politics in Misc. Because what happened was that while some actually discussed the politics and why they liked/disliked Palin (and it could just as well been Hillary, Obama, Bush, take your pick) too many turned it into insults.

THAT IS NOT WHAT WILL FLY IN MISC!!

Acceptable: I don't like Sarah Palin because she was a hypocrite." (giving the reason why you feel she was hypocrite.) OR "I don't like Obama because he is not keeping his promise" (again giving a reason.)

NOT ACCEPTABLE:

- Palin is a jackass.
- Obama is a jackass

Neither are discussion. Both are insults. This is not the place for insults. If you need to attack a politician personally (not the politics or what he/she has done, but a personal attack,) that is NOT for Misc. That type of discussion may occur in TNZ.

If you want politics in here, this is how it will be. The mods will warn you if you get personal like you have been with political stuff.

You MAY still post political stuff. You may not post things which are insulting a person, not their policy and you may not say sexist or racist things.

As some of our long-time Posters may remember, it was decided a while ago that Game Threads are something that is more appropriate to the lounges than Misc. After all, Misc is all about discussion of topics ranging from "How Do Robot Monkeys Fly?" to "Do We Really Need A President, Anyway?" Serious business!

Nevertheless, several of those "Hurt/Heal" Games have turned up in the past couple of weeks and fun has been had by all who participated, so we've let them go. But we also don't want game Threads to proliferate and take over the Forum; so, in the interests of providing a good example to our presidential candidates (and do we really need a president, anyway?), I have proposed a Compromise.

From now on, we can have two concurrently running Game Threads. When one runs its course, a new game can begin (so, please, no open-ended game concepts like "Ban The Poster To Your Right"). After all, a little fun never hurt anybody. Much.

And if Misc loses the "TrekBBS Hurt/Heal" Game, I'll close all the Threads and Warn everybody. Just so you know.

We've decided to lift the moratorium on political and hot-button/controversial topics in Miscellaneous. However, there are some stipulations.

To borrow a phrase from RJ, focus on "ideas, not ideology," and discussion of individual policies rather than your negative impression of a political party or group as a whole. Starting a topic to discuss tax hikes by the Obama administration is acceptable. Prefacing it by saying "Those damn libs are trying to create a socialist welfare state!" in the title or body of the post is not, since that is not conducive to creating reasonable discussion. Topics that start out like this or rapidly devolve into back and forth sniping along these lines will be closed.

The same goes for extreme rhetoric aimed at the GOP, Christians, Atheists, Muslims, Pro-Choicers, Botswanans (oh, yeah, that's a big one), etc. Avoid generalizations that paint entire groups of people with the same broad brush. Avoid language aimed at riling people up rather than getting a reasoned and well-thought out response.

If someone does resort to this type of rhetoric in the OP or subsequent posts, as they inevitably will, then please notify or PM the mods in question rather than sinking down to the level of the troublemaking post in the topic.

We think Miscellaneous is perfectly capable of having these types of discussions without resorting to namecalling and posturing, and look forward to discussing these types of issues with you guys again.

I'll leave this topic open if anyone has any suggestions or questions on the new policy.

Highballs are dandy, but Twisted Tea is easier. Or something like that.

I'm happy that we're able to have 'controversial' discussions in Misc again. We've had some great discussions in the past, and most people have shown that they are able to debate in a civil and respectful fashion. As long as everybody remembers it's not about conflicting factions, but rather the thoughtful exchange of ideas, we'll have some good talks here.

My parting gift to the Misc Mods, to keep them calm during the return of controversial topics (which is A Good Thing, BTW, IMO):

Gomme, lemon juice, Bombay Sapphire, soda water.

1:2:3:4, mix well.

Highball glass, plenty of ice, a slice, and a cherry.

(+ a dash of bitters for the really tough threads)

You'll thank me later.

Click to expand...

Bombay Sapphire is shite. Invented by the Bacardi corp in the late 1980s because their Rum sales were falling. They contracted the three biggest ad companies in the US to come up with an advertising strategy, and apparently it worked.

I'd have expected you to have more discerning taste! Bombay is the JC Penny's of gin!

My parting gift to the Misc Mods, to keep them calm during the return of controversial topics (which is A Good Thing, BTW, IMO):

Gomme, lemon juice, Bombay Sapphire, soda water.

1:2:3:4, mix well.

Highball glass, plenty of ice, a slice, and a cherry.

(+ a dash of bitters for the really tough threads)

You'll thank me later.

Click to expand...

Bombay Sapphire is shite. Invented by the Bacardi corp in the late 1980s because their Rum sales were falling. They contracted the three biggest ad companies in the US to come up with an advertising strategy, and apparently it worked.

I'd have expected you to have more discerning taste! Bombay is the JC Penny's of gin!

I know this is long. You need to read it anyhow. If not, don't blame me when I warn you, OK? I will post it in separate sections in this thread.

Issue #1. Inappropriate Content:

I have had multiple complaints lately from women on our BBS about the tone in this (and sometimes other) forums. Some women feel unwelcome and uncomfortable on parts of the board, due to a very nasty tendency of some men (note the "some") to express themselves in a way that makes women uncomfortable.

Hell, I'm thick-skinned, due to growing up with a rather vulgar brother, but after reading some of what I read, while I'm not uncomfortable, I'm angry.

Here are some examples from a nasty little thread. Bear in mind that over time, I've seen equally ugly little comments in other threads, about men wanting to "do" women and such. But so you can see what I find problematic, here is a sampling of some sexist crap:

(Warning, this is some unpleasant stuff. Be prepared before you read.)

Nobody's scared of the racist little bitch.

Click to expand...

watch me as I rape your face.

Click to expand...

I however just want to give it to her one way. In the arse. Man that chick is so hot.

Click to expand...

One can only hope that hot little tart Sarah Palin resigned to follow her life long calling - serving me drinks in as little clothing as possible and licking my asshole with that sumptuous mouth of hers upon request.

Click to expand...

Responding to that:

"Just bend right over this board..."

Click to expand...

Photo captions for pic of Palin:

I'm stretchin' for ya...doncha know.

Click to expand...

and

Any tighter and we'd be in camel toe territory. that body is wasted on her.

Click to expand...

"must not fap"

Click to expand...

This was all FROM ONE THREAD.

I don't want to EVER see this kind of crap in Misc again. It is DRIVING off women, making the female mods uncomfortable (and me angry, since I always have to be different :/ ) and making those who are saying this look like they're sexist with no respect for women.

Is that what you want to show?

Now if you do this in the Wild-West TNZ, that's one thing. People know what they're in for there and can opt out.